Hi Marlene:
You wrote:
>>> Marling McReynolds <[log in to unmask]>
07/24/97 10:23am >>>
>>I can empathize with your trouble. I, too, must be in just
>>the right position to sleep, and even when I find it I know
>>that within 2 to 3 hours I will be awake again. Last night I
>>went to bed at 12:30am(today actually), took at least
>>30min to go to sleep and was up at 3:30am. I went back
>>to bed at 4:30am and was awake until after 5. Then I got
>>up at 6:30 and stayed up. So, maybe I got almost 4
>>hours of sleep, in pieces. This was a restful night. Many
>>nights it is much worse.
>>Yesterday my son and I went to the movies. I sat in the
>>theatre for the 2 hours of the movie. I am glad the movie
>>was good. At the end of it, I started to stand up. My legs
>>went into a dystonia mode. My left leg would not
>>straighten to let me stand and my right foot was doing the
>>toe/heel curl. My son was so good to me. He took hold
>>and helped me get to the car. While driving home I had
>>tremors, dystonia, and difficulty driving. My son said he
>>knows now that he must get a license and be my driver.
>>Changes! No more theatre movies. Limited driving. No
>>more long walks along the river (climbing over the rocks).
>>No more good, deep, sound sleeps. No more days
>>without pain and/or discomfort.
>>I am so glad for the computer, the net, and all of you for
>>friends. Thank you for being there.<<
Whew! A rough 24 hours! Typical or atypical?? Did you
miss a scheduled med?
I find that when I do not get at least 5-6 hours
uninterrupted sleep, I need to take a nap that day or the
next. If I anticipate difficulty with going to sleep I try my
"white noise" - a tape of ocean sounds, and I adjust the
temperature in the bedroom to colder.
When I expect to be sitting for more than 30-40 minutes
at a time (restaurant, meeting, movie, driving) I try to do
contraction and relaxation exercising in place. Flex my arms
and legs, roll my head, squeeze my buttocks, etc. That
helps to alleviate cramps. Or just get up and go to the
bathroom or walk around in the lobby.
Driving is another whole kettle of fish! Tell your son, little
Marling, Jr. to hurry-up and get his driver's license . . . he's
probably 25 years old anyway . . . I thought California gave
the license away in Cracker-Jacks boxes!
Good luck. Stephan 53/7
